The Foreign Office said an estimated 400 British sailors could not accept the Ushakov medal because they were in line to receive an award from the British government specifically connected to the convoys, and because the events took place more than five years ago.

Winston Churchill said the convoys undertook "the worst journey in the world" as they delivered more than 7,500 fighter planes and 5,000 anti-tank guns that helped turn back Hitler's invading forces on the eastern front, altering the course of the war.

"I honestly feel sore about it," said Reay Clarke, 89, who served on the convoys. "I think it's disgraceful that we can't just say yes to the Russians and tell them to go ahead and issue the medal. I think they are kind and thoughtful to remember what we did. We should just say, 'Thank you very much'."

Lt Cdr Roy Francis, 90, from Forncett St Mary, Norfolk, who served on the cruiser HMS Edinburgh when it travelled to Murmansk in 1942 as the flagship for the convoys, has started a petition on the 10 Downing Street website calling for the Russian medal to be permitted.

On the return journey the cruiser was sunk by successive attacks when carrying four tonnes of gold bullion as payment from Stalin. Two officers and 56 seamen died as the rest were evacuated to other ships.

Lt Cdr Francis said: "In addition to the threats from U-boats, bombers and surface craft to all convoys, the main enemy was the bitter cold.

"I've known of ships where the build-up of ice led to the whole thing capsizing and the ship disappearing with all hands."

Jacky Brookes, manager of the Russia Arctic Convoy Museum Project, which plans to build a museum at Loch Ewe in northwest Scotland where the many of the convoys sailed from, estimated that 3,000 men perished on the voyages. Eighty-five merchant vessels and 16 Royal Navy warships were lost.

The Foreign Office said it appreciated the Russian government's wish to recognize the veterans. But it said that veterans had already been honoured with the Atlantic Star campaign medal, a general award for service at sea. Surviving sailors on the convoys have also received a lapel badge, the Arctic Emblem, issued in 2006, while the Prime Minister recently announced the creation of a specific Arctic campaign medal to recognise the severe hardships of this part of naval history.

Lt Cdr Francis said: "I'm pleased to see that this government has finally agreed to give us a British campaign medal.

"I'm told that checking eligibility for the award may take months, though, so I'm hoping I'll still be around when all of the bureaucracy has been carried out. None of us are getting any younger."